> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://drepchain.gitbook.io/toolkit/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://drepchain.gitbook.io/toolkit/start-your-drep-journey/editor.md).

# Quick Start

Ready to take your first step into Cardano governance? This page provides simple definitions to a list of terms in use in the ecosystem.

### Glossary 

#### A

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**Ada** - The native cryptocurrency of the Cardano blockchain. It is used for staking, voting, paying transaction fees, and as a store of value. It is the primary payment unit on Cardano, accepted as a fee payment and also one of the currencies in which rewards are distributed.

**Abstain** - An active voting option DReps and delegators can cast during live voting. Abstain votes, which aren’t either Yes or No vote contribute to meeting the total voting power threshold needed for voting outcomes. 

#### C

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**CIP** – A community outlined improvement proposal for proposing new features, collecting input, and documenting decisions for the Cardano ecosystem. An example is the CIP 1694 proposal.\
\
**Constitutional Committee (CC)** - Elected member (s) responsible for ensuring Governance Actions defined under the CIP 1694.

**Chang Hard Fork** - A major upgrade to the Cardano blockchain from September 2024, which introduced critical governance features, including the role of DReps.

#### D

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**DRep** - An individual or entity registered to vote on governance actions on behalf of delegators who choose to delegate their voting power to them.

**Delegation** - Is the process by which an ADA holder assigns their voting power to a DRep, also known as the governance right.

**Delegator** - An ADA holder who chooses to delegate their voting power to a DRep instead of voting on Governance Actions themselves.

#### E

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**Epoch** - In governance, an epoch is a set time for voting on governance actions. Each governance action has a lifespan, e.g. 6 epochs during which voting takes place. 

\
**Epoch Boundary** - An epoch boundary marks the end of an epoch, to determine if the voting threshold of a Governance Action is met ready to be ratified.

#### G

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**Governance Action (GA)** - A formal proposal made by members of the community who meet the 100K deposit prerequisite. Ratified governance actions help change or manage the Cardano network. 

**Govtools** - An open-source governance tool that enables Ada holders to register as DReps, delegate, propose governance actions and vote.

#### I

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**Intersect** - A membership-based organization that supports Cardano's decentralized governance operations.

#### L

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**Liquid democracy** - A hybrid governance system where voters can either vote directly or delegate their voting rights to a trusted representative (DRep).

#### M

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**Metadata** - A structured data attached to a transaction. In governance, it is used to store votes and registration certificates on-chain without affecting the core logic of the ledger.

**Mainnet** - The primary, live public blockchain network where ADA has real-world value.

**Multisig** - Multisignature wallets are wallets collectively owned by a group of DReps, acting in the role of Organizational DReps.

#### N

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**No confidence** - A specific type of Governance Action to vote out the current Constitutional Committee. If passed, a new committee must be elected.

#### O

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**On-chain** - Any process, data, or action that is recorded and executed directly on the blockchain. DRep registration and voting are on-chain actions.

**Off-chain** - Any process or component that takes place outside of the blockchain.

#### P

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**Preview** - A Cardano testnet environment used for testing and development before deploying features or applications to the mainnet.

#### S

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**SPO** - An individual or entity that runs a network node responsible for validating transactions and producing new blocks.

**Stake** - The amount of ADA held in a wallet for network security. A holder's voting power is directly proportional to the amount of ADA they have staked.

#### T

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**Testnet** - A simulated blockchain environment that replicates the mainnet. Developers and users use it to test applications, smart contracts, and governance procedures without risking real funds.

#### V

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**Voltaire** - The final era in Cardano’s development roadmap, focused on decentralized governance and community-led decision-making.

<br>

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